Every budget is a reflection of our values.
As Durham grows, so do our collective needs: more students in our classrooms, more neighbors in need of housing, more calls for mental health support, more roads and pipes to maintain. These aren’t abstract line items. They’re the basics of a safe, dignified life. And this year’s proposed budgets, for both Durham County and the City of Durham, are about doing our part to meet those needs with care and responsibility.
But we’re working within a system that is anything but fair. And the truth is: Our needs are vast, but our tools are limited.
Who Does What: County vs. City
Many folks understandably don’t know where city services end and county services begin.
Here’s the breakdown:
- The county is responsible for public education, public health, social services like Medicaid and SNAP, the courts and jail, emergency medical services, libraries, and elections.
- The city handles police and fire, water and sewer infrastructure, trash pickup, streets and sidewalks, city parks, and affordable housing programs.
We collaborate often but manage separate budgets shaped by different legal and financial constraints.
What’s In This Year’s Budgets
The county manager’s proposed $1.04 billion budget that includes a $10.35 million increase in school funding, bringing Durham Public Schools’ total county funding to $223.7 million. The budget expands youth violence prevention programs and funds additional EMS staff to meet rising emergency calls.
The city manager’s proposed $772 million budget invests in infrastructure, expands the HEART mental health crisis response team, maintains fare-free buses, and allocates $7 million to clean up lead-contaminated soil in five public parks. It also raises the city’s minimum employee wage to $21.90 per hour, because we all know public workers deserve a livable income.
Together, these budgets represent a vision of Durham that is safer, more equitable, and more responsive to the needs of everyday people.
Why Property Taxes Are Rising—Even as Rates Fall
This year’s property revaluation increased home values across the county, some dramatically. By law, we calculate a “revenue-neutral” tax rate, which would bring in the same amount of money as before, just from newly assessed values.
But we’re not operating in 2020 anymore. Costs have gone up, responsibilities have grown, federal COVID relief has ended, sales tax revenues have slowed and state support has shrunk. A revenue-neutral budget would mean school cuts, layoffs in public health, and delays in urgent infrastructure work.
So both the county and the city are proposing rates above revenue-neutral but below current rates:
- County’s proposed rate: 55.42¢ per $100 of assessed value
- City’s proposed rate: 43.71¢ per $100 of assessed value
If your property value increased significantly, your tax bill may go up despite the lower rate.
The Deeper Problem: A Broken Revenue System
Let’s be honest: North Carolina’s system of local taxation is broken, and deeply regressive.
The only major revenue source we can control is property tax. State law doesn’t let us create income brackets or tax luxury homes at a higher rate. That means everyone pays the same rate, regardless of whether your home is worth $150,000 or $1.5 million.
This setup hits low and middle-income families the hardest. It widens inequity, yet the General Assembly continues to deny local governments the revenue-raising tools to fix it. Recognizing this, the county and city now collaborate on a model property tax assistance program, Low-Income Homeowner Relief, that provides property relief for long-time, low-income homeowners.
Meanwhile, State and Federal Support Is Withering
We’re also being asked to carry more with less.
Over the past decade, state and federal governments have withdrawn from key responsibilities:
- State mental health funding has been gutted.
- Public school support hasn’t kept pace with enrollment or inflation.
- Federal housing dollars are drying up, just as rents explode.
These aren’t gaps. They’re failures. And local governments are doing what we can to prevent those failures from becoming catastrophes.
A Budget That Reflects Durham’s Values
We’ve always believed in a Durham that fights for its people. One that puts care and justice at the center of public life. That means investing in the people who teach our kids, answer 911 calls, deliver clean water, and show up to help in moments of crisis.
It also means being transparent with you: we’re raising revenue because we have to. Doing nothing would hurt the people who rely on us most, and the alternative (gutting services, delaying infrastructure repairs, underfunding schools) is unacceptable.
And it means demanding better from Raleigh and Washington, even as we build with what we have.
You Deserve a Voice in This
Budgets should never be written behind closed doors. That’s why we invite you to show up, speak out, and help shape this process.
- County Budget Hearing: Tuesday, May 27
- City Budget Hearing: Monday, June 2
Visit dconc.gov and durhamnc.gov for more details and to submit comments.
We are building a Durham that works for all of us, not just some. And with your voice, we’ll get there.
Nida Allam is chair of the Durham County Board of Commissioners. Carl Rist is a member of the Durham City Council.
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